Land of Fire, Land of Water
by StrawberrieJam
Summary: Amu, a half dragon and half human, must prepare herself for war against the Winter Kingdom. Ikuto must prepare himself to fight against the Fire Kingdom. They are trained to be ruthless but when the time comes to fight, their differences are set aside and they find the cracks in each kingdom. But they find something else, something that they never expected to find; love. Amuto
1. Erring

**Hello~ This idea has been plaguing me for quite a while but I finally got it down on paper(or computer, if you will)! I really don't know how this will go, haha. I'd really like your opinions on this fic, on whether I should continue it.**

**I don't own Shugo Chara!**

X

"Amu! Amu!"

The rosette looked up to see Rima flying down, Nagihiko close behind her. Rima stopped in front of her and folded her wings back clumsily, unlike the prim Rima Amu knew.

"What's going on?"

"It's Ami. She killed someone."

X

Amu was a dracon; she was half human and half dragon. Which meant she could be in either form if she wanted. Dracons were one of the bigger groups that existed. There were only a handful of humans and the rest were either spirits, nymphs, dryads, fairies, or others. The dracons were the rulers and it only made sense: they were the strongest and the largest.

Between the dracons, however, there were two separate groups; the fire dragons and the water dragons. The whole of dracon race had a war called the Seasons war where the two races were forced to make a compromise. The water dragons would rule the land for 6 months and the fire dragons another 6 months.

The compromise was still going strong, but there had been minor issues along the border recently. Amu could already sense the change in the winds; something big was about to happen. The dracons were getting restless and Amu had recently noticed the citizens of the fire country beginning to sharpen their claws.

Amu was the eldest daughter of the family. She had a younger sister, Ami, who tended to be reckless. This wouldn't have been very important if they hadn't been the king's daughters.

"What do you mean Ami killed someone?" Amu asked, fear filling her stomach.

"It means she killed a water dragon. The King is calling you, we have to go, now!"

As if to make a point, Rima flapped her orange wings once and flew a few feet up. In a matter of seconds, Amu was up in the air next to Rima, a pair of wings having grown from herself as well. Nagihiko flew up to them with ease and they began to fly, skimming the forest trees.

Soon enough, they reached the palace. The palace was a stunning mix of vibrant colors, ranging from yellow to green. It was a magnificent sight to view indeed: the towers rose into the heavens and it was bustling with life. Flowers and trees in the garden could be seen from far away and the palace itself sparkled from the sunlight reflecting off the glassy surfaces.

The three landed in the courtyard and raced up the stairs quickly, their wings disappearing into their backs. When Amu finally got to the door, she could hear someone crying. She thrust the door open and saw her father pacing back and forth with Ami being comforted by her mother.

"What happened?" Amu asked breathlessly.

"Ami killed someone," her father grounded out, stamping the floor angrily.

"It was an accident!" Ami wailed, fresh tears pouring down her white cheeks.

"She was friends with a winter dragon—illegaly if I may add—and while they were playing around, she accidently killed him," her father said bluntly before growling in frustration once more. Amu could see his horns peeking from his hair and gasped lightly. Her father never got this angry.

"And so what happened?"

"The winter dragon king is asking us for a sacrifice—'a life for a life,' he says—but it's ridiculous."

"Why? Who is it?"

"You."

Ami let out another heartwrenching sob at this and she burrowed her head into her arms, wildly sobbing that she didn't mean to, she didn't mean to.

Amu stood, her jaw dropping in shock—or was it fear? She didn't know—and her blood running cold.

"Nagi, call the council."

X

The council was made up of 20 dracons that were elected by the dragons themselves. They were wise, talented, and most important of all, loyal.

"What do you plan on doing, Your Majesty?" Haku asked, wrinkles forming on his forehead.

"I don't know. I wanted your opinion. The only thing I can think of is war. But that is the last resort."

"It is a wise choice, Your Majesty. How about we send a messenger, asking if a treaty of some sort can be created?"

"That seems good, but what kind of treaty?"

"We could offer some of our land," someone said.

"Or we could give them an extra month to rule."

"That's ridiculous!" Amu said, "You know how much work it took our ancestors to fight to rule for six months!"

"My daughter is right. The best we could do is offer some land. Nagi, send a messenger out to the Winter Kingdom."

And so the decision was made.

The only thing left was to wait.

X

Ikuto sighed, propping his legs up and leaning back.

"Yo!" a voice said, and a mop of touseled brown hair came into his view.

"Ugh, shove off Kukai," Ikuto said, unamused.

"Oh, come on Ikuto. I didn't even do anything yet!"

"We're on the brink of war Kukai," he warned.

"What? We just need to get the princess from the summer kingdom, where's the war in that?"

Ikuto rolled his eyes.

"Okay, look. Obviously the summer king won't want to give up his daughter so easily so we'll probably end up in a war. We should being to start training."

"Oh. But we train every day!"

"Not us. The troops. The army. They aren't ready."

"Ah."

Silent ensued as Kukai tried to take in the information. Ikuto waited patiently.

"OH! WE HAVE TO GET READY!" Kukai shouted, finally understanding.

"Ikuto?" A voice echoed from the hallway outside. The door was flung opened and Utau walked in, dressed in a simple, long, icy blue gown. Ikuto got up, surprised to see her wearing something so formal.

"Is something happening? Why are you dressed so…," he wrinkled his nose, "formally?"

"Apparently, an envoy is coming from the summer kingdom. Get dressed. Father wants you there for whatever decision they make."

Utau's gaze flitted over to Kukai and the faintest pink tinged her cheeks.

"You, are coming with me," she said, and Kukai smiled at her crookedly before walking out with her. Ikuto rolled his eyes; if he heard a moan in Kukai's bedroom one more time, he was going to find some dryads and shove them into his room. The dryads would totally make a ruckus when they saw the complete disorganization. He would definitely get a chuckle out of that one.

Ikuto got up and changed into a navy blue suit before walking down the corridors and into the large throne room. Aruto was tapping his fingernails against the armrest impatiently, wearing his formal robes and crown. Souko was gently whispering into his ear, her arms around his shoulders in an attempt to calm him down. She too was dressed in a deep azure, her gown swishing across the floor, the sounds somehow calming Aruto's frayed nerves. The council filed in one by one, muttering and arguing over political matters, and no doubt about the whole ordeal.

"Your majesty! The envoy is here!" The voices died down quickly and they expectantly stared at the majestic doors.

"Let him in."

The doors opened slowly, revealing a tall man wearing bright red armor. A red flag was strapped to his back to symbolize his job and he walked in. He stiffly bowed once before straightening up once more to deliver his message.

"The King of the Kingdom of Fire, King Hikaru has requested a treaty. He is offering parts of the Kingdom instead of the sacrifice of the Princess."

Murmurs ran through the hall as everyone contemplated the idea. It seemed to be a somewhat fair deal, but they had to admit the Fire Kingdom would get the better end of the stick. The messenger bowed once more and walked out into the waiting room, where he would receive the message he would send back.

"Your majesty! This seems to be a fair trade."

"I agree, Your Majesty."

Voices piped in, voicing their opinion, but Ikuto took one look at his father and realized the decision was made.

"No. Had it been more, I wouldn't have complained. But land?" he scoffed, "We have land. Are we beggars? No. Akio, send King Hikaru the head of the envoy."

Gasps filled the room. It was common policy to return the envoy unharmed; what was he planning?

"Aruto, dear. Wouldn't you reconsider this?" Souko asked, getting up.

"No. My decision is made. And you may all go." The council left wordlessly but Ikuto stayed behind with his mother.

"Father?"

"Yes?"

"May I know the reasons behind your decision?"

"It is simple. I want the better end." Ikuto opened his mouth to argue but he was dismissed with a wave of his hand. He looked to his mother and she returned his gaze worriedly. _'I'll try,'_ she mouthed. Ikuto nodded and returned to his chambers.

Aruto had always been temperable, but he was rational and smart. Something was off. He would never act so rashly and harshly. The dragon that had died wasn't even someone too close to the King.

Ikuto rubbed his temples and sighed. He brushed the problem off quickly; he would have to get ready.

A war would begin soon.

X

**A/N: What do you think? Oh, and for those who are confused: Ikuto's parents will be Ikuto's parents here but for Amu, I'm making OCs for her parents because, lets just try to imagine them as Kings and Queens. I honestly can't, haha. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed!**

**Any comments?**

**Review~ **


	2. Transforming

**Hello, hello! I'm sorry about not updating The Ones that Go Unheard but this one is more... satisfying(?) for me right now. **

**I don't own Shugo Chara!**

X

Amu headed to the secret clearing in the forest, where she said she'd meet Rima. She was satisfied with the way the events were seeming to go. She had never met the Winter King but she had heard rumors that he was kind and wise. Surely such a king would accept their request? She shook off her thoughts as she neared the clearing; Rima would pick up on her emotions otherwise.

Rima was perched on a rock, her light pink wings fanned out behind her lazily. Her tail was short and barely noticeable.

"Hey, Rima!" Amu called, waving her hand. Rima sat up immediately, her tail vanishing behind her. Her wings folded just as quickly and Amu rolled her eyes.

"Oh. It's just you." Rima assumed her position again staring at the sky. Amu feigned mock hurt but Rima didn't even bat an eye.

"Okay, fine. But seriously, what is so embarrassing about relaxing?"

"Well, it's unladylike."

"…Are you calling me unladylike?" Amu asked, plopping down next to her, slightly surprised Nagihiko wasn't there.

"Amu, there are some things we need to accept in our lives, and one of them is that you are unladylike."

"But I'm a princess!"

"Not in heart." Amu refused to comment and changed the topic.

"Okay, why are we here again?"

"Don't you want to fly? I feel so cramped," Rima whined, getting up and stretching.

"Well, yes. But where's Nagihiko, then?"

"We're going to the lake! Besides, we haven't spent time alone, in forever! Anyway, enough chitchat, my wings are dying to be stretched. Let's go!"

Rima immediately began to grow salmon colored scales. Her body grew from a human to a dragon shape before her wings began to stretch and grow. Her tail thumped onto the floor, surprising Amu.

"Aren't you coming?" Rima asked, her voice lower and rougher. She shook herself, nearly knocking down the trees nearby; the clearing was somewhat small.

Amu closed her eyes, and let the fire within her engulf her senses. She could hear a whirling in her ear, and felt a burning fire well up and explode from her chest. When she opened her eyes, she was eye to eye with Rima. The heat was now running through her veins, and a flame covered her heart, pumping her with energy.

"You still glow when you transform. And you still give off those sparkles," Rima snorted.

"Please. Don't remind me. It's so embarrassing." Amu flexed her wings and shook herself out, stretching her muscles refreshingly. Rima chortled before taking off into the air, the force of her wings tearing mounds of leaves off trees. Amu followed suit, using her hind legs to push herself off the ground before flapping her wings powerfully. They flew side by side, enjoying the warmth of the sun beating down onto their scales.

"Doesn't it feel amazing?" Rima asked, twirling in the air once. Her scales glittered in the sunlight, giving them a lustrous effect.

They flew around aimlessly for a while, racing, laughing, and enjoying the weather.

"Hey, let's go to the lake now!"

"Hot?"

"Duh."

Rima led the way, soaring upwards, faster and faster. The wind was howling in Amu's face but she just flew higher and harder. She could barely hear Rima's voice saying that they were almost there over the screaming wind. Amu shivered as she passed through a cloud, droplets of water clinging onto her warm body. As they neared the lake, Amu could already feel the warmth seeping in between her scales and she slowed down, using her wings to stop her flight. She tumbled down onto the rocks and looked around to see Rima panting next to her. Amu opened her mouth to speak but the water droplets were evaporating quickly, cooling her skin down considerably. It was too cold for a dragon like her.

She clambered down the steep hill and soon enough, she saw a red liquid bubbling in a basin large enough for five adult dragons. Amu gingerly stepped in, sighing in relief when the lava enveloped her clammy feet. She sunk down until only her head was above the liquid and she turned to see Rima(again) snuggling into a crevice in between the rocks. They didn't speak for a while, enjoying the warmth.

They had discovered the basin a few years back, when they were in their adolescent form of a dragon. It was one of their hardest journeys because the basin was so far up. But, it was for this very reason no one else knew of their secret spot. The clouds shrouded the area, closing it off to the rest of the world. Amu could think about things comfortably here and relax—to the point she sometimes fell asleep—something she couldn't do in the palace.

"Hey Rima?" she called softly.

"Hmm?"

"What do you think will happen?" she asked. Rima understood.

"Well, if the King doesn't accept, a war will probably have to happen."

"And us?"

"We'll train for that day. We'll be ruthless and strong. And we'll defeat them." Amu hummed in response but she couldn't help but feel uneasy.

When the two returned to the palace, people were milling about, frantic and agitated. Some were so upset they were beginning to transform, frightening the children.

"What's going on?" Rima asked a nearby stranger.

"W-war!"

Amu's eyes widened in shock. This couldn't be happening. Her wings were out before she knew it and she flew into a window nearest to the throne room, Rima right behind her. She ran to the doors and flung them open. The King was red with fury and he was shouting commands to a general that looked like they were about to pass out.

"What happened?" Amu asked her mother who was biting her lip nearby.

"A box came. Look for yourself." Amu looked around before she spotted a large, black box near the throne. Her heart was slamming against her ribcage wildly; what would it be? When she opened the lid, she nearly screamed in horror. The view was grotesque. Blood was pooling in the box and the face was so cut up it was barely recognizable. The hair was pasted onto the face from the sticky red blood. She shut the lid immediately.

"This is ridiculous!" The King shouted. "Train the troops! Go!"

The general ran out the door, afraid the King would get even angrier.

"F-father. What should I do?"

"What can you do? Nothing, I presume," he scowled before stomping out the door.

"Oh Amu," Sakura said, gliding over to her. Her mother enveloped her in her arms and kissed her on the forehead. "Your father is just mad right now."

"What should I do?" Amu asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Train, darling. I know you can do it. Show the Winter Kingdom just who we are." Sakura kissed her on the forehead once more and released her. "Will you do it?"

"Y-yeah."

"Good luck, dear. We have six months."

Amu nodded and walked out the door, feeling numb. There really was going to be a war. She had thought of it as a possibility, but it had never occurred to her that the possibility was all too real.

"Amu…," Rima whispered, her face pale with fright. "I-It's actually true…"

Amu swallowed silently and regained her energy quickly. It would do no good to be weak in front of Rima, especially because she relied on her so much.

"It's going to be okay. Just like you said, we're going to train and we're going to fight."

"But… I didn't really think it would happen."

"No one did!" Amu snapped, her fear sparking her irritable side, "But we're fire dracons, and we're going to show them who we are. Okay?" Rima nodded weakly and Amu gave a small smile of reassurance before returning to her room.

She wanted to believe that she was ready—she really did—but deep down, she knew it was nothing but a lie.

X

"Yo!" Kukai said, lumbering into the room.

"What?" Ikuto asked, feeling a little annoyed that he didn't bother to knock.

"There's gonna be a war. You were right!" Ikuto rolled his eyes exasperatedly.

"Well. Isn't that obvious?"

"Yeah, but it's going to be in six months."

"What? Who decided that?" Kukai shrugged, snagging a lollipop from Ikuto's desk.

"I don't know. Apparently it's like in the Book of War Tactics that you have to give your enemy six months to prepare."

"What the heck?" Kukai unwrapped the lollipop and popped it into his mouth.

"Beats me. You're already strong anyway. Anyway, I came to ask if you wanted to go for a stretch."

Ikuto agreed; it had been a couple of days since he had last gotten to really fly. When they headed out and transformed, Kukai managed to knock down a couple of trees with his large, icy blue wings.

"Watch out! Pops is gonna kill me if he sees that."

"No he's not," Kukai chuckled—easy for him to say, Ikuto thought; he had never met his father's wrath—and flew into the air, his pale blue scales glistening in the sun. Ikuto sighed exasperatedly and transformed quickly, letting the wintry winds in his body overtake him. He followed Kukai quickly and was rewarded with the scene of Kukai scratching his back.

"It's so hot! My back is all itchy now!"

Ikuto sighed. Kukai was really stupid sometimes and at these times, he was ashamed to call him a friend.

"Just raise your temperature. Then it'll go away." Ikuto said no more than that; Kukai should be able to figure it out on his own. After a few tries, Kukai still didn't understand so they simply dove into a couple of clouds. Each time they did, it provided a moment of relief (for Kukai, at least) from the unrelenting rays. Although it was a bit tiring to keep his temperature regulated the whole time, he thought that being able to stretch his wings were definitely worth it.

After what seemed like a couple of hours, they landed near the palace and transformed back to their human form. They walked back to the palace instead of flying back like they usually did, Kukai chattering animatedly. When Kukai spotted Utau, he bade Ikuto goodbye before running off to her and beginning a new conversation there.

Ikuto headed toward the castle grounds where he could find his mentor. Then he'd train because, well, how else could you prepare for a battle?

X

**A/N: Well I have nothing to say in particular. But I would like to read your comments~~!~  
****Questions/Comments?  
Review~**


	3. Training

**I don't own Shugo Chara!**

* * *

Amu gritted her teeth as she felt a flash of pain on her upper thigh. There was no time to scream.

She quickly darted forward, successfully dodging all the thrusts, heading straight for the leader. She felt another jab of pain filling her arm but she continued, blood streaming from her cuts. When Amu got close enough, she ducked underneath the sword and slid under the leader's legs, surprising him. Before he could react, she had her sword on his neck, ready to pierce. Everyone froze.

The man started to clap slowly, and the others followed suit, cheering and hooting.

"Good job, Amu. You definitely improved a lot from the beginning." The cheers grew louder, and Amu smiled slightly. "But, look at those cuts. You have to be more careful. I can see why you did what you did, however, and for that I must give it to you. You are ready."

Amu bowed to her mentor, who nodded, a smile gracing his usually stern face. She walked out of the arena, accepting the compliments of her former classmates. In a span of five months, she had far exceeded the rest, excluding Rima and Nagihiko. However, Rima and Nagihiko were different; they worked as a pair. Without one another, they were as good as the rest.

Amu made her way to the showers, where she stripped herself of her soiled clothing and relaxed, letting the hot water soothe her. Steam slowly arose around her, letting her pretend she was in the lava lake.

It had been five months since that trip.

Five months since the dreaded news of a war.

Amu sighed and shook her head; it wouldn't be good to feel vulnerable when the war was literally around the corner. The last month was to be used for learning magic: fighting or healing. She had, unsurprisingly since she had learned fighting magic years and years ago, decided to learn healing magic with Rima and, obviously, Nagihiko. Amu had thought that in case-God forbid!- she ever was stranded and injured, she would have the knowledge to heal herself. Rima and Nagihiko learned to heal each other in cases of emergency.

Amu reluctantly stepped out of the warmth and dried herself out quickly before throwing on some wooly pants and a thick shirt. The winter days were approaching, and Amu would have to get used to it. She silently cursed the heavens for letting the war begin in the winter-the water dragons would have the upper hand.

More the reason to beat them.

Amu maneuvered her way to the medical ward; the best choice was to get started quickly. She found the head doctor and told her of her plan, who quickly agreed. The doctor, Maeda, led Amu to a private ward and pulled out a couple of books, setting it before her.

"Read these. And then hands-on experiences."

Without another word, Amu opened the book and blew the dust off the covers, coughing in the process. The writing was tiny and beginning to fade, so Amu had to peer at the words, straining them. She sighed but steeled herself.

It would all pay off.

* * *

Ikuto languidly swirled a strawberry in a bowl of melted chocolate and popped it into his mouth. He savored the tangy juice of the strawberry, which was followed by the overwhelmingly sweet chocolate. Mmm. He just _adored_ chocolate strawberries. He was about to take another bite when the door slammed open, revealing a very tired Kukai.

"What?" Ikuto asked, not paying a look at him. Nothing came in between him and his strawberries. With chocolate.

"I'm...so...tired...," Kukai panted, flopping onto Ikuto's bed.

"Hey! Get off!" Ikuto said, wrinkling his nose disdainfully at the sweaty form on his bed. When the man didn't move, Ikuto took the liberty of rolling him off the bed and onto the ground. He dusted his hands and returned to his desk. Mmm. Strawberries.

"Ouch!" Kukai called, but made no move to hoist himself back up. "Why aren't you training?" he asked instead.

"Me? Oh, I'm done. I've been done for a couple of weeks now."

Kukai's eyes practically fell out of their sockets.

"What? No fair! How come?"

"What do you mean how come? I've been training for war since I was, what, 5? 6?" he snorted.

"Still! There's no way you could be done!"

Ikuto yawned and threw himself onto the bed, still holding onto his cherished strawberries and chocolate.

"Well. I did. So. Go train or something and leave me alone,"

"No, there's no way I'm accepting this!" Kukai whined, getting up slightly to glare at Ikuto.

"Hey! Don't give me that look! It's not my fault you didn't train when you were 6. Or 7." Kukai refused to answer and instead plopped back down, still exhausted.

"Are you scared?" Kukai asked quietly from his spot. Ikuto immediately understood.

"No."

"...I am," he admitted.

"It's okay to be scared. It's our first war," Ikuto spoke with confidence and reassurance.

"Then why aren't you scared?"

Ikuto sighed to himself. How was he going to explain this?

-_Flashback-_

_A small boy with dark blue hair bounded into the throne room, his eyes the color of the night sky._

_"Dad, dad!" he called out, excitement bleeding into his voice._

_The man with brown hair who seemed to bend over slightly turned around, his large ears poking out of his hair. The King was quite a comical sight, although no one dared to say so. _

_"Yes, son?"mirth bubbled into his voice at the sight of his innocent son._

_"I want a sword!"_

_The King rubbed his temples and bent down to the ground, eye level with Ikuto, who was still smiling brightly._

_"Ikuto, the minute you take a sword, you are to lose your emotions on the battle ground. You kill mercilessly. Nothing stops you in that stage." His son smile never wavered._

_"Sword!"_

_The King smiled slightly; of course. His son wouldn't know the horrors of wars yet. The King silently prayed that his pure son would never have to experience the perils of war-he would even give his own life up for it. The King reached into his cloak and found a small dagger that was dulled and handed it over to Ikuto, who laughed joyously and began fighting._

_Little did the King know that Ikuto would come to understand those words only a year later._

"Well?" Kukai asked. Even though Ikuto couldn't see his face, he could imagine Kukai's eyes rolling and his mouth wide open in impatience.

"I was... trained to be ruthless on the battlefield. To kill without a glance." Ikuto spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully to make Kukai understand. The whole concept seemed cruel and unneeded, but anyone who was smart enough to look past the "cruelty" would see how necessary it was. Someone who was kind and sympathetic never won on the battlefield.

"I see," Kukai responded.

They lapsed into another round of silence, listening to the winds outside the window blow violently against the window. Ikuto vaguely wondered if the windows would crack but quickly dismissed the idea; these windows were built for resistance. In the silence, each thought their own thoughts, each pondered their own worries, and each came to a conclusion.

The harsh training, the discipline, everything- it would all pay off.

* * *

**Hello, hello!**

**I'm wondering if I should delete this fic because I lost part of my love for it, and I didn't get too many reviews. I don't want to sound whiny and ask for reviews again, but I want your opinion- should I delete this fic?**

**Anyway, thanks to: dragons, amutoo, Better, and God Fenrir for reviewing!**

**I'll hopefully get another chapter up this week before deciding whether to kill this fic or not.**

**Thanks for reading, and review!**


	4. Meeting

I don't own Shugo Chara!

* * *

Amu tossed in her bed fitfully, unable to fall asleep.

She had tried everything: sticking a leg out of the blankets, fluffing her pillow, flipping her pillow, sticking both legs out, changing positions, and more.

Tomorrow was the day.

The day the war officially began.

It was a little funny, she thought bitterly, that she had trained so hard for this; the time she would die.

It was no use to be so cynical, she knew, but she really couldn't help it. All the training she had done had stripped her of her happiness and youth.

Amu threw the bright yellow covers off of herself and got up. There really was no point in trying to sleep anymore. She glanced out at the window, and saw the bright moon shining down on the tips of the trees, illuminating them.

She could go for a breeze.

Amu carefully unlatched her window and climbed out, making sure she was quiet and unseen. It would be a pain to get caught.

As she clung onto the windowsill, she quickly grew her pair of wings before releasing herself, letting her wings keep her in the air. She shut the window, making sure it was still slightly open before taking off into the air. Hopefully, no one had seen her.

As she got closer to the forest, she let herself transform further until she was a full dragon.

The wind whistled past her ears and battered her cheeks, but she was unaffected, the exhilaration of flight overtaking her pain. Besides, dragon scales were made to be tough. A little bit of wind wouldn't hurt her.

Amu watched the glimmering moon, wishing that she'd be able to touch it. Realistically, she knew she would incinerate before she even got close, but she was born a dreamer. Wistfully, she reached a paw upwards, imagining that she had finally grabbed it.

She glanced down to see a large lake beneath her, the moon's reflection staring back up at her. Amu suddenly felt an idea fill her head. She knew it was stupid and it could be uncomfortable, but without a moment for hesitation, she flew straight for the water, the reflection getting closer.

Amu reached forward and before she knew it, she had plunged deep into the murky depths. The water wasn't as clear as it had seemed from so far above, and she was surprised at how deep it was. She couldn't reach the bottom.

A rush of adrenaline filled her, and she desperately clawed for the top, reaching for the surface. Amu felt her eyes feel heavy and she fought against the drowsiness-she would die if she let herself sleep now.

Amu felt herself shrink and she cursed; if her dragon form was retiring now, she really didn't have much energy left. Maybe she would die like this. Now _this _was morbidly funny; dying before the war, she thought darkly. In her contemplation, she felt something grab her waist and hold her tightly. Amu panicked-a sea creature?

No, it wasn't that. She'd been here before, and there hadn't been anything then. She wildly fought against the figure but it only held her even tighter in it's grip. It started swimming upwards and she relaxed slightly; at least she wasn't going to drown.

When her face broke through the surface, the creature released its hold on her and disappeared. She dunked her head down and searched for something desperately, but she couldn't find anything, not even a shadow.

Disappointed, but alive, Amu looked around her and she realized she was in the place she had been aiming for in the beginning.

The reflection of the moon.

It sparkled slightly, and she laughed, falling back into the water, relaxing slightly. The heat from her body warmed the water around her,thankfully, and she wasn't shivering as much.

She was glad that she had been able to make it alive, and she hoped she'd make it through the war.

* * *

Ikuto strolled through the forest, his hands shoved deep into his pockets.

The forest was thick and dark, the trees looming above his head menacingly. Kukai described it as the "haunted forest" saying that at night, you'd be able to see ghosts and all sorts of things.

But Ikuto knew those rumors weren't true. The trees were his friends; they hid him from the world. He had traveled into the forest since he was young, and had gone every night since he found it. Every time Kukai would ask him where he had gone, he would shrug noncommittally, his dark eyes staring off into the bundle of trees.

Ikuto trod carefully, aware that there were some rather unsightly creatures within the forest. When he saw a flash of light through the heavy leaves, he knew he was almost there.

Ikuto approached the water's edge, inhaling the scent of the lake and relaxing. He slid into the water, transforming simultaneously. He sank to the bottom, relishing the cool water that brushed past his scales. When he was at the bottom, he closed his eyes and leaned against the rocks behind him. A throe of silence filled the area, save for the occasional fish.

Ikuto opened his eyes and glanced upwards, only to reel back in shock. A carnation colored dragon was hovering far above the water in the air, its wings flapping slowly. The dragon's wings were a gradient from the light pink to a fiery red while its underbelly faded into a white. It was almost like it was an unfinished print.

The dragon seemed to reach for the moon before dejectedly looking down at the water. A slight gasp passed through his lips when he saw the vivid tawny eyes of the dragon. The dragon was absolutely stunning. The dragon was obviously a female, he could tell now. The dragon's figure was smaller and softer, more curved and gentle. What was she doing here though? It was the border of the two lands; no one dared venture that far.

Ikuto realized with a start that the dragon was suddenly spiraling toward the shimmering water-had she seen him? He shifted slightly, peering up to see what she was doing. He watched as she plunged into the water with a splash, frightening the nearby slumbering birds, no doubt. She sank down slowly and seemed to struggle against the water. Soon, her dragon features disappeared and she was just a girl, plummeting in the water.

Ikuto watched her eyes fluttering and cursed; he wasn't an ally of the fire dragons but he wouldn't let her die. He transformed to his human form and swam up to her, grabbing her by the waist. She thrashed against him desperately and he quickly began going up. When she realized his intentions, she calmed down and opted to lean against him, bubbles slipping from her small, pink lips. When they neared the surface, he released her and rapidly made his way back down.

To his utter surprise, he saw the girl floating in the water, swimming about while laughing happily. Ikuto frowned slightly. Was she stupid?

But when he saw her coral hair splayed out in the water above him, all negative thoughts were released.

Ikuto grimaced when he caught himself staring and made his way into a little cave that he usually resided in. A fresh feeling of anger ebbed at his stomach. Falling in love was a terrible choice at the brink of war, but falling in love with the enemy was even worse.

He chastised himself quickly before falling back onto the rocky cave, cursing when he felt a jagged lump stabbing his back. He thought of moving away but decided against it and fell asleep to the sound of the stirring water.

* * *

Hello. I'm still deciding whether to delete this or not, but I'll just keep going until I can figure out what I want.

Nekoz Rule: U-um.. Scary xD But anyway, we'll see. -runs away-

magicalbelievers: Thank you!

Amuto1266: Ah, my dear reader, patience. It's no fun if they meet right away, and it's not realistic if they meet each other immediately and love sparks. Because I don't believe in love at first sight. Anyway, thanks for reading!

As always, please review! Drop a comment to let me know how you feel~

-Raspberry


	5. Beginning

**My list of excuses are down below. I don't want to keep you up here for too long, so, enjoy! **

**I don't own Shugo Chara!**

* * *

Ikuto yawned, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he got out of his fluffy bed.

"Did you not sleep or something?" Kukai asked, bouncing up and down on his toes. "It begins today, you know."

Ikuto shrugged noncommittally, ignoring Kukai, who was uneasily shifting from side to side.

"Are you okay? I mean, we-"

"I'm fine," Ikuto said, cutting him off. It had come out a lot rougher than he had meant for it to. Kukai rolled his eyes jokingly and clapped Ikuto on the back before sauntering out of the room to find Utau.

Ikuto lumbered around in the room for a while before making his way into the bathroom. He stripped himself quickly, enjoying the cold air meeting his skin before stepping into the shower. The water was lukewarm; it was the most comfortable for him. After he had finally managed to wake up, he had something small to eat and wore his armor.

By the time Ikuto had finished, the soldiers were already lining up outside in the courtyard. Kukai met him at the Grand Doors, his mousy brown hair ruffled by the wind. He had obviously been doing something suspicious.

Ikuto arched a thin eyebrow but said nothing. Kukai sent him a small smile before they headed into the crowd.

Of course, being the Crown Prince had it's perks.

The soldiers immediately parted, bowing respectively as he passed. Kukai followed behind him, looking at the ground awkwardly. Once he reached the front, the soldiers assumed their position again and began to stretch as instructed. Ikuto's father was already there, talking to a man with graying hair and a long scar across his right eye.

"Ah. You're here," he said, nodding once as he looked up.

"What would you like me to do?"

"I have nothing specific, but you can prepare yourself however you'd like. Although I'd like to believe you are both physically _and_ mentally prepared."

"I am."

"Good." _ turned back to the strategist and began motioning at the air with his hands. Ikuto sighed and turned to Kukai.

"You ready, man?"

"Y-yeah." Kukai tried to smile but failed miserably; his lips were wobbling and his face looked like it had been punched.

"Honestly." Kukai sighed.

"No. I'm scared." Ikuto smiled slightly, his eyes crinkling,

"It's gonna be okay. Beside, if we fight in pairs it'll be easier. Just stick near me."

Kukai let a small grin grace his wide features and he let out a shaky sigh.

"Thanks. I don't know what I would do without you." Ikuto opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by a horn.

"READY!" The soldiers slammed their feet to the ground and straightened their backs.

"Today! We will go to war. We will show those fiery brats who we are! No one messes with the Water Country!"

A deafening cry rose from the soldiers and they stamped their feet in agreement.

"MARCH!"

The people began to walk stiffly, their hips jutting out and arms raised. Ikuto could feel the excitement in the air, but he could feel the underlying fear.

Ikuto walked languidly; he would win whoever he fought.

He glanced at the sun and exhaled slowly-it was going to be a long day.

* * *

Amu's gaze flitted around the room nervously. She was already clad in her heavy burgundy armor and was waiting for Rima and Nagihiko.

She was, needless to say, afraid.

Amu had heard that the Ice Prince was, as the title said, an Ice Prince. He was cold and showed no sign of remorse as he killed. She shuddered faintly at the thought; she would never want to come across him.

As she shuffled from side to side, Rima came out, looking oddly gorgeous in her rust colored armor. Her long mustard colored hair was tied, nestled against the nape of her neck. Soon after, Nagihiko followed, clearing his throat awkwardly. He, too, was looking dashing in his armor and like Rima, had his hair neatly pushed out of his face with a hair tie.

"Well?" Rima asked, her hip jutting out slightly.

"You guys look really good. Like really." Rima raised an eyebrow but smiled gently. "Meanwhile, here I am in my clunky stupid armor that makes me look a lot wider than I actually am." Rima snorted but patted her on the shoulder (or what seemed to be her shoulder) gently.

"It's okay. You look fine."

"Easy for you to say," Amu muttered but quickly spun on her heel, in case Rima had heard. "Let's go. Father will be waiting for us."

Indeed, she was right.

When they got out, it was a sight to see. They had been told by the maids to leave to the balcony, where the King would be waiting and they thought nothing much of it. Only that when they stepped out into the salmon colored balcony, they nearly balked at the numbers standing before them.

Below them were thousands of soldiers, standing straight, as stiff as a board. They all had crimson red armor so it was hard to tell who they were. They all stood even straighter when they caught sight of her and the King seemed to notice because he turned around slightly.

"Ah. You're here. Let's begin." And so he began, his deep voice rattling on about the war that was about to take place.

Amu restrained from hugging herself, the wind violently whipping around her. Thankfully, she had pulled on some warm, wool clothing under the armor. Rima and Nagihiko seemed to inch together closer, effectively keeping a portion of themselves warm. When the King wrapped up his speech, the crowd roared, stamping their feet, chanting his name.

"GO!" he shouted, wings sprouting out of his back instantaneously. He flew above the throngs of people and they all turned mechanically, marching after him. Their own wings were out, in case they had to fly.

Amu launched herself into the air and glided down effortlessly, catching up to her Father. When she reached the front, she slowed down, walking behind him with a few commanders. She felt a gust of wind as the other two followed suit and she marched on.

* * *

Amu blew into her hands as the frosty wind nipped at her skin. They were getting closer to the battle ground, she could already feel the other army's presence. She tensed slightly when she saw the formidable army approaching them. They seemed to be unaffected by the relentless wind and continued on. Soon, they stopped and her own Father stopped.

Amu scoped the army and found the Ice Prince quickly. His hair was the deepest of blues, her favorite color, midnight blue. His piercing eyes were so dark they were nearly violet and he smiled crookedly when they locked eyes.

Amu kept herself from tumbling backwards.

This? He was the Ice Prince?

She had been expecting someone different. Someone... else.

Amu quickly looked him over. He had a lean figure but it was obviously well built, she could tell from his visible forearms, and his legs were rather long, albeit skinny. As a matter of fact, he seemed to be quite tall, probably a whole head taller than her. When she met his eyes again, she saw him visibly look her up and down and she fought off a blush that threatened to color her cheeks.

What was she doing?

He was the enemy!

She tore her gaze away from him and chose to look at the hated Ice King instead. There he was, in his mighty glory, floating above the ground. He was clad in a similar style as the Prince and she could see the clear resemblance between them. The hair, the eyes, and the build. However, there was a long scar that ran from his chin to his neck that Amu could see.

Amu's blood ran cold when his cold gaze slowly traveled to her. His eyes were cold and unseeing and he glared at her, freezing her to the spot. His eyes held nothing but absolute contempt, and they felt like a deep vortex, threatening to suck her into a void of nothingness. She wanted to run, far, far away. Amu held herself firm, clutching her hands to keep them from shaking. She had trained for this day.

This was it.

"GO!"

* * *

**Hello, hello! I'm sorry for the long pause. And I'm sorry to say that I might either discontinue or not add for a long time. I need to focus on my other story and school really has me bedraggled. I don't know, still hesitant on whether to delete or not. Besides, fantasy fics aren't really read in this fandom so... I don't know. But, as always, here's the new chapter! **

**Nekoz Rule: I love you? ;D Don't worry, I have a whole list of berries ready for you! And wow, if only you knew how this story was going (assuming I don't continue it) to go (:**

**16craftytigers: Thank you! Really, reviews like this is the only thing keeping me from deleting.**

**magicalbelievers: Thank you! (:**

**lilly200kol: Thank you, and still thinking about it... But I'll keep your plea (I sound sadistic now) in mind!(:**

**Seraphic and Lunatic: I'll see, and I'll try! Do you have any suggestions?(:**

**snowiewolf: Thanks!**

**M.W.T: Well, I'm very honored that you considered this story good as many wouldn't have. And a little scared, especially because of my pending decision.. xD**

**Storm Skyress: Yes, still deciding and you're entirely right. My reviewers are the only ones that are actually keeping me from deleting this for now!**

**animeLuv'Chuu: Thanks for reviewing, and we'll see (:**


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